Asparagus can be a love it or leave it vegetable. It’s distinctive and strong in flavor, is green (say yes to green veggies!), and can be over or undercooked too easily to be reliable for many kitchen operators. Nonetheless, I’m a huge fan of using asparagus and find it quite succulent when used fresh.

This prosciutto wrapped asparagus is one of the simplest side dishes or party foods that you can create in the air fryer. The whole process takes less than 15 minutes from start to finish, yet the result is a luscious mix of salt-cured ham and delicious fresh vegetables.

Some home cooks confine the polarizing asparagus to the too hard basket, but when you can take fresh asparagus spears and wrap them in one of the great deli products (bacon, prosciutto, or jamon serrano are all delicious), it becomes a truly amazing side dish or appetizer that will be talked about.

The key to getting this simple recipe right is in rolling up the prosciutto. It’s easier than bacon because it’s thinner and stickier. Just make sure your start at the small end and roll tightly, making sure the meatier part of the prosciutto finishes just below the asparagus spear tip.

Cooking prosciutto wrapped asparagus doesn’t have to be difficult, and the air fryer makes the process almost perfect for maximizing satisfaction. You can cook the combination without boiling away flavor, and taking out its unique attributes. Prosciutto-wrapped asparagus is an exciting side dish to accompany grilled chicken and steaks, like low carb, high protein, and gluten-free snack, or no-mess finger food for your next get-together at home.

One important thing to note: In the recipe below, I set the temperature at 300°F instead of the higher temp of 350°F. You can cook the wrapped asparagus at this higher temp to speed preparation up further, however, I’ve found from experience that the lower temperature maintains a similar level of prosciutto crispness without impacting the naturally juicy, fresh pop of the asparagus spears.